Lessons Learned
by Misutii Tennyo
Summary: HermioneRon, HarryCho. New characters introduced. Takes place decades after Hogwarts, and they are all catching up on old times as time tuns short for one of them, and things just begin for another...


A/N: This is gonna be a sad one… but also a happy one. I don't own the characters.   
  
Hermione, well past her prime at the age of 67, walked into a dimly lit room, where her husband slept peacefully. Out the window she could see the sun gently dipping below the horizon, the clouds a lovely array of pinks, purples, and oranges. As she looked around the room, a small smile crept onto her face, and she thought about all the wonderful times she had spent with her husband.  
  
  
  
Even the bad times when they were younger, in Hogwarts, and just after, until the final defeat of Voldemort were good times. She had to look back on them fondly, because they were spent with her favorite people. As she thought about that, the doorbell rang and she quickly and quietly hurried to the door. Standing there was Harry Potter, and his wife, Cho.   
  
"Come in! So nice to see you, I wasn't expecting you!" Hermione said brightly, stepping back into the hall, and closing the door behind them as they entered the house.  
  
Cho smiled warmly at Hermione, and handed her jacket to Harry. "We are doing fine; we aren't the ones you should be worrying about. We came by to see how you are holding up, what with Ron being so ill…"  
  
Hermione led them all into a small, cozy parlor, and settled into a very large leather chair. "I'm doing fine, I'm a little busy between caring for Ron, and keeping up on the housework… It's trying some times, keeping my sanity intact through it all. I'm doing okay though."  
  
Harry finally spoke up, "Is there anything we can help you with? Anything at all? Do you need us to do any shopping, or cleaning?"  
  
"Oh, don't worry about it. Willow is coming home later tonight to stay a couple days with us."   
  
Hermione, Harry, and Cho fell into a hushed discussion about their families. Willow, the only child of Hermione and Ron's was 32, and the new Transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts. Harry and Cho had two sons, one was 34, and another was 30. The eldest, Alden, was the Charms professor, and the younger, Mitchell was married, and worked in the Ministry of Magic. Harry and Cho spoke of Mitchell and his wife's expected baby. Hermione expressed her wish that Willow would find some one she could be happy with. The conversation lasted an hour, and roamed from one topic to another, as conversations between the elderly often do. The conversation was interrupted when the front door opened, and Willow entered the room. Willow was tall and fair skinned. Her hair was a long, curly mass of red hair. She had a perfect combination of her mother and father's looks. All eyes turned to her, and she smiled wide at the sight of her mother's old friends.   
  
"Uncle Harry, Auntie Cho! How are you guys?" She exclaimed as she rushed to hug them where they sat. Harry and Cho reassured her that they were well, and hugged her back.   
  
Willow turned to embrace her mother and inquired as to her father's condition. "Oh, you know your father… Stubborn. He's holding on with all that he can darling." Willow smiled knowingly, wondering who was more stubborn between her parents.   
  
"You're both stubborn Hermione, and don't you try to deny it… I remember the good ole days in school!" Harry exclaimed, wagging a finger at Hermione. Harry turned to Willow, and started telling her of one time, during school that Hermione wouldn't talk to him or Ron because of something about house elves for awhile. Willow sat back and listened, while Hermione interjected, correcting the story, or adding to the story at different times.  
  
The group silenced at the sound of shuffling feet over head, and Hermione and Willow jumped up, and ran up the stairs. Shortly after they came back in the room, with Ron between them, dressed warmly in a pair of pajamas, a soft terry robe, and slippers.   
  
"Hey there ole buddy." Harry said jovially, as Willow and Hermione helped Ron into a chair.   
  
Ron smiled, and turned to his friend. "How've you been Harry? How're the Cannons doing this season?" This started an impassioned conversation between the two men about Quidditch, and so the women left the room, and started to put together a tray of tea, and biscuits.   
  
  
  
The friends settled into a quiet night of catching up, and Willow went to get settled into the room of her childhood, secretly dreaming of the lover she had taken over the past year.   
  
A/N: Please review, no flames please, I know it's a little awkward, but it is sort of two stories in one. I'll be writing more soon, as soon as I get an idea of what you all think of it. 


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